Finished With Religion
I have said goodbye to "religion"! I need to make it perfectly clear though, that I have not said goodbye to Christ, or to God, or to any of my brothers and sisters who choose to follow the religious system. I have said goodbye to the institution of religion, its belief system, and its man-made, and ritualistic practices that keep millions of people around the world, blinded to the truths that Jesus, the Ascended Master was sent to teach and demonstrate, and lay down his life for.
I have been "in church" for most of my life. I have experienced and have been exposed to several christian denominations that believe and teach all sorts of things that have nothing to do with a relationship with God. They do acknowledge God, and the existence of the Divine Spirit; however, this is mostly a part of the marketing campaign to get people to "join church", and be a part of the cycle of powerless routines and rituals that take people totally in the opposite direction physically, mentally, and spiritually, than what Jesus taught and lived! This is what has defined religious systems; it's a religious game of "bait and switch", and I am finished with them!
I have not made this major shift in my life without much prayer, meditation, thought, and inner-reflection. This decision will likely change some the relationships with people I know, and am affiliated with in one way or another. This decision is hugely life-altering, and I am going to express now, why this change is necessary for my life.
I must say that religion has not been a waste of time for me; rather, it has been a teacher and instructor, giving me lessons that help me SEE beneath the surface of this physical experience we know as "life". Therefore, I am not criticizing those who still cling to religious systems and doctrines, because they too are learning, growing, and evolving at their own pace. For me, religion has run its course, and I am moving forward into a life of spiritual relationship with God, and without religion!
The Bondage of Religion
Religions' emphasis on physical behaviors, outward appearances, and feeding of the ego, negates and diminishes the teachings of our Ascended Master...
"he whom the Son sets free is free indeed!" ~ Jesus of Nazareth
Religion at its core promotes bondage of the body, mind, and spirit, through endless rituals, rites, rules, creeds, and doctrines, created by men to "earn" the acceptance by God. People try desperately to win the acceptance and favor of God, by following the rules of man-made religious institutions and denominations, that demand that certain practices be performed "religiously", and that certain rules be followed "religiously". Failure to comply with these religious demands, is all the indication needed, to identify you as someone who is either "unsaved" or "out of the will of God". Then, you are labeled as a "sinner" or a "backslider", one who is "going to hell" if they don't begin to follow or return to the dictates of the religion!
Many people fail at religion, because the natural, and divine tendency we have to be free, stands in strict opposition of religions' attempts to keep us bound!
The Great Contradiction of Religion
Religion is a very self-contradicting concept as we know it today. On the one hand, it speaks of the unconditional love of God for us; however on the other hand, it teaches that you cannot have this love without meeting certain conditions! Either Gods' love is unconditional, or it isn't; it cannot be both ways.
The reality is, we are all loved by God without condition! Man uses religious systems to create separations, and distinctions between us, that our Father does not make! Gods' arms of love are ALWAYS open, and outstretched toward us ALL, bidding each of us to REALIZE and accept the love already granted to us!
Religion teaches people that they must "do things" in order to be loved by God; while in reality, because we ARE loved by God already, we should desire to love others in return. This is the true message of Christ!
Remember this, there is only one thing God requires of EVERYONE, that is, that we LOVE as we ARE LOVED!
Don't Follow Religion, Follow Christ!
Jesus WAS NOT a Christian, he was and IS the Ascended Master of God's Love, he was and IS the Christ who came to teach us ALL how to become masters too! Religious institutions and denominations cripple, and handicap people by failing to teach them how to become masters of the love of God. I am not surprised, because you cannot teach something you don't know, and you cannot share something you don't possess! This is what Paul meant when he said...
Hebrews 5:12
King James Version (KJV)
12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Everyone must start somewhere, but we ALL are supposed to graduate to masters at some point! People go to church for years and years, and they never grow beyond their critical, judgmental, negative, and condescending attitudes! Yet, they take communion, pay tithes, and do all the church stuff that makes them feel that God is pleased with their self-righteous ways. It's time to stop deluding ourselves.
The whole reason for having teachers is so they can teach others to become teachers as well! Take a look at this from the bible...
Ephesians 4
New International Version (NIV)
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
You see, we are ALL supposed to attain the mind of Christ, and become masters as he was/is so that we can teach others to become masters as well! As long as we have pastors and teachers who are nothing but "babes" themselves, those congregations they lead, will reflect the nature of those pastors! They will either dwindle as people leave to find truth elsewhere, or they will grow into huge mega-churches, full of people who do church stuff, and talk church stuff, but demonstrate no power of Love!
Of course, there are some people in these churches who have the same calling I do as a Light-Worker on the inside, but the general population of these churches are starving for truth, and have no idea of what they are capable of as the offspring of God!
If you are following a religious institution or system, you need to STOP immediately, and FOLLOW CHRIST, who taught Love, lived Love, and commanded that we only Love God, and one another, and to do so with the love of God!
My Positions and Conclusion
Yes, I am an ordained minister/pastor on the Christian path, but here is what that means for me:
That's enough for now. There is so much more I can say, and I will do so in other posts, tweets, and Facebook updates.
Peace, Love, Light, Joy, and Grace to you all!
I have said goodbye to "religion"! I need to make it perfectly clear though, that I have not said goodbye to Christ, or to God, or to any of my brothers and sisters who choose to follow the religious system. I have said goodbye to the institution of religion, its belief system, and its man-made, and ritualistic practices that keep millions of people around the world, blinded to the truths that Jesus, the Ascended Master was sent to teach and demonstrate, and lay down his life for.
I have been "in church" for most of my life. I have experienced and have been exposed to several christian denominations that believe and teach all sorts of things that have nothing to do with a relationship with God. They do acknowledge God, and the existence of the Divine Spirit; however, this is mostly a part of the marketing campaign to get people to "join church", and be a part of the cycle of powerless routines and rituals that take people totally in the opposite direction physically, mentally, and spiritually, than what Jesus taught and lived! This is what has defined religious systems; it's a religious game of "bait and switch", and I am finished with them!
I have not made this major shift in my life without much prayer, meditation, thought, and inner-reflection. This decision will likely change some the relationships with people I know, and am affiliated with in one way or another. This decision is hugely life-altering, and I am going to express now, why this change is necessary for my life.
I must say that religion has not been a waste of time for me; rather, it has been a teacher and instructor, giving me lessons that help me SEE beneath the surface of this physical experience we know as "life". Therefore, I am not criticizing those who still cling to religious systems and doctrines, because they too are learning, growing, and evolving at their own pace. For me, religion has run its course, and I am moving forward into a life of spiritual relationship with God, and without religion!
The Bondage of Religion
Religions' emphasis on physical behaviors, outward appearances, and feeding of the ego, negates and diminishes the teachings of our Ascended Master...
"he whom the Son sets free is free indeed!" ~ Jesus of Nazareth
Religion at its core promotes bondage of the body, mind, and spirit, through endless rituals, rites, rules, creeds, and doctrines, created by men to "earn" the acceptance by God. People try desperately to win the acceptance and favor of God, by following the rules of man-made religious institutions and denominations, that demand that certain practices be performed "religiously", and that certain rules be followed "religiously". Failure to comply with these religious demands, is all the indication needed, to identify you as someone who is either "unsaved" or "out of the will of God". Then, you are labeled as a "sinner" or a "backslider", one who is "going to hell" if they don't begin to follow or return to the dictates of the religion!
Many people fail at religion, because the natural, and divine tendency we have to be free, stands in strict opposition of religions' attempts to keep us bound!
The Great Contradiction of Religion
Religion is a very self-contradicting concept as we know it today. On the one hand, it speaks of the unconditional love of God for us; however on the other hand, it teaches that you cannot have this love without meeting certain conditions! Either Gods' love is unconditional, or it isn't; it cannot be both ways.
The reality is, we are all loved by God without condition! Man uses religious systems to create separations, and distinctions between us, that our Father does not make! Gods' arms of love are ALWAYS open, and outstretched toward us ALL, bidding each of us to REALIZE and accept the love already granted to us!
Religion teaches people that they must "do things" in order to be loved by God; while in reality, because we ARE loved by God already, we should desire to love others in return. This is the true message of Christ!
Remember this, there is only one thing God requires of EVERYONE, that is, that we LOVE as we ARE LOVED!
Don't Follow Religion, Follow Christ!
Jesus WAS NOT a Christian, he was and IS the Ascended Master of God's Love, he was and IS the Christ who came to teach us ALL how to become masters too! Religious institutions and denominations cripple, and handicap people by failing to teach them how to become masters of the love of God. I am not surprised, because you cannot teach something you don't know, and you cannot share something you don't possess! This is what Paul meant when he said...
Hebrews 5:12
King James Version (KJV)
12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Everyone must start somewhere, but we ALL are supposed to graduate to masters at some point! People go to church for years and years, and they never grow beyond their critical, judgmental, negative, and condescending attitudes! Yet, they take communion, pay tithes, and do all the church stuff that makes them feel that God is pleased with their self-righteous ways. It's time to stop deluding ourselves.
The whole reason for having teachers is so they can teach others to become teachers as well! Take a look at this from the bible...
Ephesians 4
New International Version (NIV)
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
You see, we are ALL supposed to attain the mind of Christ, and become masters as he was/is so that we can teach others to become masters as well! As long as we have pastors and teachers who are nothing but "babes" themselves, those congregations they lead, will reflect the nature of those pastors! They will either dwindle as people leave to find truth elsewhere, or they will grow into huge mega-churches, full of people who do church stuff, and talk church stuff, but demonstrate no power of Love!
Of course, there are some people in these churches who have the same calling I do as a Light-Worker on the inside, but the general population of these churches are starving for truth, and have no idea of what they are capable of as the offspring of God!
If you are following a religious institution or system, you need to STOP immediately, and FOLLOW CHRIST, who taught Love, lived Love, and commanded that we only Love God, and one another, and to do so with the love of God!
My Positions and Conclusion
Yes, I am an ordained minister/pastor on the Christian path, but here is what that means for me:
- I AM a follower of Christ, and his teachings of love for God and one another. Jesus is my master teacher, whom I love and adore for the sacrifice he made for the entire world.
- I DO NOT espouse ANY creeds, doctrines, or denominational requirements from any church or organization.
- I AM commissioned by Christ, whom I personally met and received instructions from, to teach the truth, and live a life of unconditional love and complete forgiveness.
- I do attend church services, because I love the people who are there, and the truth they are seeking. It is my calling in life, to be the light of truth, so that others may also do the same.
- I DO NOT use the "fear tactics" of telling people they are going to "hell" if they don't join church!
- I DO NOT teach that God is somewhere "out there" looking down; rather, I teach that God IS, and always has been "WITHIN" us waiting for us to awaken to His presence and be revealed through our lives!
- I teach that "being saved" is being awakened to the truth of Gods' presence within us, and the knowledge of who we ARE because of who our Father IS; the opposite of this is being "lost"!
That's enough for now. There is so much more I can say, and I will do so in other posts, tweets, and Facebook updates.
Peace, Love, Light, Joy, and Grace to you all!
